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Writer's picturePaul W Dungey

This love can never fade.

Updated: Jul 28, 2020

For any of you who know me or read my blog regularly will know some of the tales of Rocky my Yorkshire terrier and my right hand man.

Well his last story came about a month ago as a short illness took his precious life and he went over the rainbow bridge with us around him telling him how much we loved him.

But I don't want to be sad because he brought my family & I so much joy for 11 years that when when we think of him or look at a picture, yes our hearts sink a little at the thought he won't be there to give us a kiss or a cuddle but the memories he has left behind are always ones of laughter or smiles. They say owning a Yorkie will make you smile everyday, I can say that is a fact.

So I just wanted to share a couple of his antics with you and as I write this I can smile again.

Rocky came into our lives back in 2009, we already had Stardust and wanted to get a boy to be her friend & possibly breed them at some point. We went to visit the local breeder and met his mum & dad, there was one other sibling left in the litter who was spoken for and then little Rocky, the runt of the litter sitting there, about the the size of a guinea pig. Our hearts melted and we decided he was the one. We eventually brought him home and put him in a box for my son Sam's birthday. Stardust was our daughters pup, so it was lovely when Sam opened this box and out came Rocky! creating an instant bond that only dog owners know.

Rocky loved going out in the car, as soon as I started to get ready to go out he was there looking up at me with the expectation of joining his dad for the day. Most days I couldn't refuse the way he looked at me, he had me twisted around his little paw.

I loved the way he sat on the passenger seat, alert and forever at my side. When Walter the cockerpoo and Teddy the chinese powder puff x joined us for walks, they also loved the front seat, so Rocky just used to snuggle into their bellies and they enjoyed the ride together(not all at once!).


Being a professional dog walker mean't rocky joined the lunchtime pack most days mixing with his pals, from English bull terriers to Golden retrievers to pugles to husky/malamutes, he got on with and often controlled them with his scrappy doo style!

His dog best friends were: Teddy, Walter, Trippy, Chester, Flynn, Macy,Baxter, Mabel & of course Rolo amongst many others.


One of my memories is from last year's Easter weekend, I bought a tiny tent from ebay, found a lovely campsite in Norfolk and off we went, just Rocky and myself as all the rest of the family were busy.

We spent 3 glorious days in the sunshine, just relaxing together and snuggling at night because it was so cold and damp(I was camping in April) but that bond we had was evident as he didn't leave my side. I chatted to him about everything and I know he didn't understand the language but he knew my energy and showed excitement or compassion at the appropriate times. Rocky being Rocky one morning, whilst I was making a cup of tea on the little camping stove we had, decided to go and say hello to the caravan next door, they had a big St Bernard and being the ever friendly boy that he was went up and said hi! They were instant friends, that's why I love dogs, left to their own devices and no human meddling, just sort out their friends and what pecking order they should be in, no matter what size or shape they are.

We went to the beach that weekend too and sat on a sea wall eating an ice cream together, just people watching and letting the sun and breeze hit us. I laid down and he sat on my belly (it's plenty squishy and big enough!) and we dozed in the peace of the sound of the waves and people playing in the breakwater. I heard so many "aww's" as folks walked past us and saw Rocky stretched out on me. It was a perfect weekend.


PLAY: Rocky was a hardcore play machine! he treated every toy he owned with a sense of love and passion. If he didn't want to share his toys he would drag them down the garden to an old ornate plant pot we had and put them into his den he had made behind it. After his passing we found about 12 toys in there which we hadn't seen in a while. His favourites were balls, of any shape and size and cuddly toys. We think his love of balls especially footballs, which were twice his size, came from when my son Sam played for ACR football club. Rocky came along nearly every week to watch and support and was a kind of unofficial mascot over the years.

When Rocky played he played hard, he loved it, but I think in his mind he was always killing prey. Being a terrier it was in his DNA to catch and shake about prey, so he did the same with his toys. He would every evening do a little bark to say "oi, come on, enough TV, it's Rocky time now", how could I refuse! often throwing a tennis ball up the stairs for him to fetch over and over again, until he could hardly move he was so tired!

Over the last 11 years I don't have many memories where Rocky, Stardust & Herbie aren't involved in our everyday lives.

Rocky proved to be a fantastic stud dog when we decided to breed him with Stardust his wife,

he was relentless and like a zombie dog until he did the deed!

He & Stardust produced beautiful Herbie from the first litter who had to be delivered by C section as he was so large (his kennel club name is Rockstar yorkie chunk!), we kept him for our family and when Rocky unexpectedly caught Stardust again, she had 3 perfect little hamster sized pups at home and with no complications. One of whom is still in our family called Ozzie. The other 2 little pups went to other loving homes. So Rocky still lives on through his children.


Rocky wore many hats over his life time from my right hand man when I would be helping someone rehabilitate their dogs behaviour, he would be the dog they often needed to understand what being a dog was all about.

He was an unofficial therapy dog as I used to take him into care homes to visit my step dad Sid, Rocky would often find himself being passed around the lounge where all the old people congregated as they cuddled him and reminisced of times gone by when they owned dogs. he brought a lot of joy. I used to take him into my friends wife care home room to bring a smile to her face too as she battled a terminal illness. Rocky knew he just had to sit and be cuddled, and he didn't ever look like he minded!

Isn't it amazing how a tiny bundle of fur and personality can come into your life and show so much love to the world and everyone he met, impacting people and sometimes just creating a smile on a sad face. He saved my life a few times by just being there when I was low with depression & he enhanced my life by making me fall in love with dogs so much, I studied them and created a business with them.

I will never forget my little dynamic bundle of joy, he has a place in my heart forever, I had his paw print made and framed and one day will have my first ever tattoo of it on me so he will always be with me.

Good night God bless my best pal.



Thanks for reading.

until next time...




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